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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28997967">ZION</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pleuvoirsaudade/pseuds/pleuvoirsaudade'>pleuvoirsaudade</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, Original Work, Red Queen Series - Victoria Aveyard, The Selection Series - Kiera Cass</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fantasy, Fluff and Angst, Love Triangles, Superpowers, because we all love trashy ya, how do i use ao3 even, probably a bad idea to not proofread</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:54:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,576</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28997967</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pleuvoirsaudade/pseuds/pleuvoirsaudade</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>--- Inspired by the Red Queen, Hunger Games, and Selection series ---</p><p>When her friends are wrongly accused of being part of the rebellion which had plague the kingdom, Comet must enter the Queen Selection to become a Bride and save her friends from the dungeons before the selection ends.</p><p>The challenge? Comet was a human competing with girls that could breath fire and transform into wolves, and only one of them will make it out alive.</p><p>Can Comet save her friends in time before getting killed in the brutal fight for the crown? Or will she succumb to the vile schemes that the other girls have up on their sleeves?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>ZION</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/relentlessing/gifts">relentlessing</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>❅❅❅</p><p>
  <strong>PART I</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>THE BEGINNING</strong>
</p><p>❅❅❅</p><p>
  <strong>Chapter One</strong>
</p><hr/><p> <em>“Zion is a kingdom that the Royals had built to promote peace between all types of living creatures. Common creatures of Zion are Knights, Shifters, Casters and Humans.”</em></p><p>
  <em>- Archive of the Kingdom Zion: History and Establishment</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>The light raindrops drizzled onto my muddy self as I ran through the Saturday crowd of the Market.</p><p>“Stop! Get back! Here!” The old man bellowed between his breath from behind me, his demands being followed by several crashes and screams. I smirked. For Old Harris to catch me would be the day pigs fly. That beer bellied man had nothing on me when it came to speed. Squeezing through the different people on the streets, I clutched the old, torn bag containing my dinner for the day close to my chest as I broke into a grin.</p><p>“You! Stupid—!”</p><p>
  <em>Crash!</em>
</p><p>I cursed under my breath as a painful sting started forming on my butt after being knocked butt first onto the floor. Just when I thought today was my lucky day. Gathering quickly the loaves of bread that had scattered onto the dirty, wet ground, I muttered a quick apology, hoping Old Harris’ now bigger belly would give me more time to escape.</p><p>I quickly got up and was about to return to my sprinting when an extended arm stopped me in my tracks.</p><p>“Why the hurry?”</p><p>“For god’s sake, why—”</p><p>I looked up. It was the man I had bumped into.</p><p>He had an eye-patch over his left eye and was donning a white uniform adorned with gold buttons, each engraved with the emblem of the Royal Court, and a sword sitting on his hips. A Knight.</p><p>“Sir,” I immediately greeted while taking a bow. Behind me, I can hear the loud cries of Old Harris getting closer. One more second and he would be right next to me, demanding back what I had stolen. I mumbled an ‘Excuse me’ and tried to get away.</p><p>“Not so fast, lass,” the Knight ordered as he stepped in front of me.</p><p>Knights. Always so full of themselves.</p><p>I took a deep breath to allow myself to calm down before I did anything stupid such as pushing this gigantic man aside and yelling for him to mind his own business. But as long as I am stepping on the lands of Zion, there was a hierarchy to follow, and an ordinary Human like me had no choice but to obey the orders of one who was born with the Gifts of the land.</p><p>“Is there something that you need of me?” I asked as politely as I could, hoping this man could quickly settle whatever business he wanted from me. When the Knight kept his silence and started staring at me, my hunger got the best of me.</p><p>“Okay, what do you want?” I snapped, louder than necessary. The Knight raised his brow, clearly not used to being disrespected. He then frowned, opened his mouth to say—</p><p>“Ha! Caught ya, you cheating little—<em>Oh my, Sir, pardon my rudeness,</em>” Old Harris gasped as he took a bow so huge his nose was almost touching his belly. I snorted. The Knight, however, smiled at him and asked, “What seems to be the problem, old man?”</p><p>“Well, sir, thank you for your concern… As you can see, <em>this little girl over here</em> took some things that belong to me, and it would be my biggest pleasure to have them back,” Old Harris responded with his honey-laced words while shotting daggers at me. The Knight looked down at me and his eyes caught the bag that I had now placed behind my back to hide it from his view. Using his gloved hands, he snatched the bag away from me with little effort and held them up.</p><p>If it was not for the superstrength that all Knights possessed, I would have let this Knight have a taste of my fist, as a thank you for making a dinner-less night happen.</p><p>“Are these loaves of bread yours?”</p><p>“Yes, yes! Thank you so much, my lord,” Old Harris replied as he took a bow again. This time, I had to roll my eyes. Who knew there was such a humble and ass-kissing side of this uptight and cranky man. Using both his hands, he claimed back his bag of bread, bowed (again!), and headed back to his stall will a noticeable spring in his steps.</p><p>Defeated, tired, and hungry, I let out a long breath, mumbled an apology, and walked off.</p><p>“Wait,” the Knight stopped me, grabbing me by my shoulders. I flinched. What had he wanted from me?</p><p>I turned around, with my eyes kept to the ground.</p><p>Seconds passed and the silence continued.</p><p>I looked up. The Knight was staring straight at me.</p><p>“What the heck?” I said with a frown. What was wrong with this Knight? All he had been doing was stare at me since I bumped into him.</p><p>“Was that your dinner?” he asked abruptly and I frowned again. I had no idea if the Knight was posing a genuine question or being a condescending dick.</p><p>“My dinner is none of your concern,” I replied, then adding a ‘sir’ for good measure. The rain then decided to pour harder, matching the increase in the amount of annoyance I was feeling at that moment.</p><p>Instead of letting me go my way, the Knight grabbed me by my arm and dragged me to the nearest shelter while I struggled to break free.</p><p>“What was that for?” I exclaimed over the loud pelting of raindrops.</p><p>“Here, take this,” he said as he took my hand and placed ten crystals on my palm.</p><p>I gasped.</p><p>Ten freaking crystals! That alone could buy me a month worth of humble dinner.</p><p>“What is it that you want?” I asked with my palm still out. No matter how tempting it was to accept that huge amount of money, there was no way that the Knight would give this to me without asking for something in return.</p><p>“For you to get yourself a filling dinner.”</p><p>I stared at him. This Knight was positively bonkers.</p><p>As the rain began to thunder beside us while we stood under a tiny store front, the Knight and I had unknowingly began a stare down contest with neither of us giving signs of ending this weird, awkward moment of silence.</p><p>“Is that not enough? I can give you more if that’s what—”</p><p>“Are you kidding me?” I cut him midway before he could continue his haughty speech flaunting about his wealth that came with his status. When he started frowning again, something in me clicked and I swiftly closed my fist filled with crystals and shoved them into my pocket.</p><p>“Look, I know you probably feel like a saint after this small act of charity, helping out a poor, hungry thief you met on the streets—and you ought to be, with the privileges that you were given just because you were born with powers and I was not. But know that for everyday that you work for the Royals, the amount of money that you earn can feed a Human family for months.”</p><p>“So don’t patronise me with your small change, <em>Sir</em>, I’m sure everyone would appreciate it,” I finished, then turned away and ran into the rain with a smile.</p><p>Tonight’s dinner would definitely not disappoint.</p><p>❅❅❅</p><p>“You did what?” Jewel exclaimed, eyes wide.</p><p>“Comet…” Hunter sighed as he ran a hair through his hair. Both of them shared a look of concern before looking at me again.</p><p>“It had to be said! You know I can’t stand it when others look at us Humans as though we are some pitiful stray cats waiting to be fed,” I defended, rolling the crystals around the table top.</p><p>“Stop that,” Hunter said, annoyed.</p><p>I smirked.</p><p>“You want the, don’t you?” I teased as I started tossing the crystals up then catching them back in my hands. The rain was still pouring and I decided to take cover at one of my friend’s house that was just down the Market.</p><p>“I would do anything for money right now, Comet. We’re getting married,” Hunter said.</p><p>“Hunter!”</p><p>“What!”</p><p>Jewel and I exclaimed together. Shooting a betrayed look at the both of them, I asked, “Since when?”</p><p>“Since two years ago…” Jewel replied sheepishly.</p><p>I gaped.</p><p>“<em>What?</em> And I had no idea!”</p><p>“Then you’re blind.”</p><p>I turned back. Seth was at the doorway, wet from head to toe. “Congrats, lovebirds.”</p><p>“You knew all this time and thought it would be a good idea to not let me know about it?” I cried in disbelief. Seth shrugged.</p><p>“It <em>was </em>pretty obvious.”</p><p>“Not <em>to me</em>! Jewel, I am your best friend!”</p><p>Hunter and Seth laughed, while Jewel’s face turned red like a tomato. Sighing, I tossed the crystals to Hunter.</p><p>“Wait, what? Why?”</p><p>“You said you needed it.”</p><p>“But—”</p><p>“I want something in return.”</p><p>“Now that’s the Comet I know,” Hunter chuckled, “What do you need?”</p><p>“Dinner.”</p><p>❅❅❅</p><p>Hunter’s mother, Avery, cooked a pot of stew for us. It was nothing much, just a few pieces of meat with plenty of vegetables. Jewel, Hunter, Seth, and I ate in silence while Avery watched quietly. We gulped down spoonful of rice, pacifying our growling stomach.</p><p>“Aren’t you eating?” Hunter asked Avery, frowning. Avery smiled and shook her head. “Watching you children eat makes me full.” I placed the spoon next to my empty bowl and thanked Avery.</p><p>“Thanks, Avery. That was very delicious.”</p><p>Avery’s gaze fleeted to me then away, muttering something inaudible.</p><p>A friendly woman Avery was, but when it came to me, well… Let’s just say that she was not a big fan of me and my antics. Too rowdy, always attracting trouble, extremely rude—those were just some of the many things that Avery had told Hunter when Hunter demanded to know why she was so cold towards me. I did not blame her. Since young, many people had thought of me as a bad apple, always on the streets by myself, wandering about and stealing things once in a while. No parents would ever gladly let their children get close to me. Not even the friendliest Avery.</p><p>“Mom,” Hunter nagged, seeing our little exchange. Avery grunted and stop up, leaving the dining table.</p><p>“It’s fine, Hunter. You know how she is when it comes to me—and I don’t blame her,” I shrugged, assuring my old friend. Jewel gave me a sad smile, then left the table, probably off to console her future mother-in-law.</p><p>“It’s really not,” Hunter sighed, then followed after Jewel, leaving both me and Seth alone.</p><p>“That was harsh.”</p><p>“She can’t help it. She thinks that one day I would get her son arrested for being friends with a thief and Hunter will regret being ever friends me with.”</p><p>Seth placed his spoon down, then turned his body so that he was facing me.</p><p>“You know, we don’t regret being friends with you.”</p><p>“Yeah, right,” I laughed. It was more than just once or twice that I had gotten my friends in trouble for my wild behaviour. One example would be the time when I convinced Jewel, Hunter, and Seth to stage a distraction while I stole a valuable necklace from the jeweller. Things did not go as planned after we found out then that the three of them could not act to save their own lives. We managed to get away with several reprimanding and a few beatings from our parents, which was more than ample trouble for children who are barely twelve.</p><p>“I’m serious,” Seth insisted and I smiled. No matter how genuine Seth might sound, a small part of me still wondered if there was ever a moment when he regretted holding his hand out to the eight-year-old orphan more than a decade ago, and promising her that he would bring her along and keep her safe if she promised to stop crying.</p><p>Seth kept his promise and so did I. Since that day, Seth had never once not protect me from danger and troubles, and even provided me a roof to live under.</p><p>And I had never once cried since that fateful day when everything I knew obliterated into ashes.</p><p> “Comet—”</p><p>“There you are! I took a long time looking for you guys!”</p><p>We turned and my heart skipped a beat. Bennett was standing at the door with a huge grin on his face. His face fell when he looked back and forth between me and Seth.</p><p>“Was I interrupting something?” he asked, eyes wide in panic.</p><p>“No!” I quickly replied, nervous that Bennett had misunderstood the situation.</p><p>And I should just admit it: I liked Bennett. A lot. But being a Caster, my friends never really approved him as part of us. Not only until recently. But even then, there was still one who was sceptical about him.</p><p>“What do you want, Bennett?” Seth asked coldly, standing up from his seat. If Avery disapproved of Hunter being friends with me, then Seth would kill to stop me from hanging around Bennett.</p><p>Bennett, being himself, gave a polite smile in response to Seth’s hostility, and said to me, “Hey.”</p><p>“Hey…” I replied, heat crawling up my neck.</p><p>“What do you want?” Seth repeated, this time less cold but more antagonistic.</p><p>“I just came for a visit,” Bennett answered calmly.</p><p>“What’s up?” I quickly asked, not giving any time for Seth to say anything nasty.</p><p>Bennett grinned and replied, “I brought some spells that I thought you may like.” My heart raced under his captivating gaze and I nodded my head, walking over so that I was close enough to see what was in his hands.</p><p>Bennett and I met at a small tavern. It was about two years ago when I just turned seventeen. Back then, I was already in the habits of pickpocketing customers who were too drunk to notice anything that wasn’t yelling in their ears. Bennett was one of my targeted victims, but he was more alert and observant than other drunkards. He caught me in the act, but to my surprise, did not sell me out to the Knights, and gave me five crystals.</p><p>“You can’t make a living going around stealing,” he had said, “Here, take this and I hope you can find yourself an honest job.” I thanked him profusely then, after which I rushed off and bough myself a hearty meal.</p><p>I did not see it coming when I saw him again after a few weeks. By then, I had already went back to my illegal acts, stealing as many food and valuable items I could from the streets behind my friends’ back. I had tried taking up a job, but no one seemed interested in employing an orphaned human. I was drinking then, chugging down whatever I could afford, when he entered the tavern and came up to say hi. Little did he know I would return his greeting by puking all over him.</p><p>I screamed and yelled at him for not watching where he was going and how he was going to unfairly demand a compensation for destroying his ridiculously expensive clothing. He then chuckled and explained who he was, but I ended up passing out right in front of him.</p><p>When I came to, he was next to me and we were still at the tavern. I immediately apologised several times for the mess I made while drunk, and he laughed it off and introduced himself as Bennett. I knew then that I was a goner, immediately falling for his charming looks and kind heart. Ever since then, we became friends and never a moment spent with him felt like a waste of time.</p><p>“What are they?” I asked as I inched closer to Bennett. Seth began staring daggers but I ignored him.</p><p>“I got you a reviving spell and projection spell. Here, let me show you,” Bennett said enthusiastically as he passed me a few small bags that contained the spells. As a Caster, he did not need to use these spell powder to cast a spell. But for non-casters like me, we had to cast spells through a medium such as these powders made by casters. And spell making was not a quick nor easy task. Bennett probably took several weeks creating these spell powders for me.</p><p>I gave Bennett my full attention, waiting for his little performance.</p><p>“Okay, here goes…”</p><p>Bennett crouched down and concentrated on the ground. Waving his hands in a circular motion, he chanted something under his breath that was too soft for me to make out. After a few moment, a small rumble happened and the ground began to crack. Just as Seth was about say something about vandalism or what not, a little yellow flower bloomed from the ground.</p><p>“That’s reviving,” Bennett stood up and announced with pride while Seth rolled his eyes.</p><p>“That was cute,” Seth commented. “Are you done?”</p><p>“Nope, there’s still one—Okay, okay, I get it. I will leave after this,” Bennett said when Seth glared at him. I shot Seth a look and he shrugged.</p><p>Beside me, Bennet was already beginning to cast his next spell. Mist appeared around his palms as he began chanting again, forming a small orb between his hands. The orb glowed, and when Bennett stopped chanting, a lady appeared inside.</p><p>“Run,” the lady warned, then immediately disappeared when Bennett gasped. He quickly dropped his hands a look of sorrow washed over his face. I watched in confusion and worry, but before I could ask him what was wrong, he smiled a sad smile and said, “I should go now, as promised.”</p><p>Wand with that, he left.</p><p>“That was really impressive,” Seth said once Bennett was out of the door, sarcasm dripping with every syllabus. I sighed and decided to give chase. A hand grabbed my wrist.</p><p>“Where are you going?” Seth asked.</p><p>“After him.”</p><p>“What for? It’s pointless.”</p><p>“It’s not.”</p><p>Before I could shake Seth’s grip off me, Jewel, Hunter, and Avery rushed in from the other side of the house. I had almost forgotten about them, and the look of grave panic on their faces momentarily erased Bennett from my mind.</p><p>“There are Knights parading <em>everywhere</em>. I think there’s trouble. A big one,” Jewel gushed, running towards me and wrapping her arms around mine.</p><p>“You! You! It’s all because of you!” Avery screech as she pointed an accusing finger at me. My heart raced. That was hardly possible. Jewel clearly said that there were more Knights than usual, and that spelt big trouble. This was not due to some petty theft done by some Human girl. The only time when the Knights would actually patrol on full force was if there were orders made by the Royals. Which meant—</p><p>“Shit. We need to get out of here quick,” I cursed, urging the rest to follow me.</p><p>“What? Why?” Jewel asked, crazed confusion in her eyes.</p><p>“No time to explain. Hurry! Out of the house!” I yelled as I ran out of the cottage. The four of them trailed behind me as I weaved past the crowds, trying to get to the other end of houses, out of where the Knights were patrolling.</p><p>On the end of the street that we were running away from was the entrance to the main city, where the Palace sits. If the Royals had sent Knights to patrol this street, it probably meant that a form of rebellion was about to take place here. It was not the people that the Royals wanted to protect, but to capture the rebels before they made it into the city. This meant a blood would be spilled, both the rebels and the innocent people living here.</p><p>This was no place for a Human who had no powers to protect themselves to be in. We had to run far enough to avoid being in the center of the crime.</p><p>“Halt! Where are you people running off to?” A Knight stopped us and I swore. Not again today. And this time, with our lives at stake.</p><p>“Take her! Take her!” Avery screeched suddenly, alerting all the Knights in the range of at least ten metres around us. I almost wanted to strangled Avery there and then, but calmed myself down.</p><p>“What did that lady meant?” the Knight demanded, his hand already reaching for his sword.</p><p>“This is a misunderstanding, Sir. This lady here is delusional,” I replied as politely as I could, gritting my teeth. There was a chance that I would be killed even before the rebels flooded this place. Seth, Hunter, and Jewel all agreed with me from behind, but from the corner of my eyes, I could see a few Knights advancing towards us, all of them with their hands on the hilt of their swords.</p><p>“Sir,” I pleaded, hoping he would just let us pass. Avery was still yelling her head off despite Hunter’s attempt to calm her down, adding more noise and panic to the loud confused crowd. The gaze of the Knight in front of me changed as his eyes narrowed, and pulling out his sword—</p><p>An incredibly loud sound echoed around us and the ground shook like never before.</p><p>“Bomb!” someone cried and screams followed. People took off, as fighters dressed in black came out of nowhere, attacking the Knights.</p><p>❅❅❅</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>just trying to complete my 14 y/o's fantasy!! idk what im even doing but hope yall will enjoy :DD</p></blockquote></div></div>
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